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20 USEFUL TRAVEL AND SAFETY TIPS

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FEW TRAVEL AND TOURISM TIPS

Readers are advised to visit US Department of State Website after reading these tips and before making travel plans: http://travel.state.gov/travel

Tip #1. Use your credit card whenever possible especially in good shopping malls and upscale shops, save those receipts in case. Use cash when buying from smaller shops, just apply your common sense. Check with your credit card company about their terms and conditions for international travel, transaction fee and fraudulent activity protection. Tell them which dates will you be traveling so that they do not block your card for suspicious activity. You will usually get the best exchange rate for foreign currency from an ATM. Also do get some local currency before you arrive.

Tip #2. All valuable items like jewellery and cash, important items like passport should be in your custody i.e. carry on luggage and not checked in. Check with airlines about the baggage weight they allow to avoid paying high extra fee. Call up airlines before you go to the airport if your flight is on time, arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure. Dress comfortably in long flights.

Tip #3. Always carry a card in your wallet with emergency phone number and address. We hope you never need but it will be very helpful if you need emergency help from them or if you are in an accident and local authorities need your contacts. Similarly give your itinerary and phone numbers to your friends in case they need to contact you.

Tip #4. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the country you are traveling. For example some Asian countries may require women to dress differently. If you or any of your trustworthy friends know a local contact, it may be good to have their contact information.

Tip #5. Make copies of your passport identification page and other documents and keep them separately. This will help replacement of your passport in case its lost or stolen. Leave one copy at home too. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

Tip #6. Try to get the local and national newspapers or simply go to the internet for reports on the area you will be traveling to and look for civil unrest, government and monetary issues, travelers' warnings and alerts, and storm watches.

Tip #7. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas, make sure not to over trust new people who you make friends during the trip. Do not accept packages from strangers.

Tip #8. Try not to wear conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry to avoid being a target of crime. Do not carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary credit cards. Try to search on the internet about what other people have experienced recently for the places you are visiting.

Tip #9. Your immunizations should be up-to-date especially when traveling to Asia or Africa. Consult your doctor and keep some medication with you while traveling. Keep prescriptions given by your doctor in case the local authorities question you regarding the medicines you are carrying. Immunizations and prescriptions for preventative medications can help to ensure a healthy trip.

Tip #10. Drink bottled water. All water contains different sets of microbes and mineral deposits, just that your body is used to some and not to others. So water which is safe to the locals may not always be safe for you. If you cannot find bottled water, then at least try to thoroughly boil it and let it cool before drinking.

Tip #11. Make sure you have proper travel and medical insurance. Often the travel insurance will have some catches, terms and conditions, so be proactive and research your needs before you travel outside of your home country. Travel insurances will cover one or all of these - Will give you money if the luggage is lost (ex by airlines), flight is delayed or cancelled, emergency hotel expenses and medical expenses.

Tip #12. Learn at least some commonly used words of the local language. Even saying 'thank you' will usually impress them. Example of some common words are listed below.
Thank you. Sorry, I cannot speak your language, I speak English. I need a taxi. I need a doctor. Where is Bank. Where is Hotel. I need water. etc..

Tip #13. Don't put all your money in one place, split your spending money in different pockets. This way, if you are pick-pocketed, you will always have money.

Tip 14#. Cell phone is probably your best friend in a new place. Get an unlocked cell phone which works with international frequencies. Your domestic phone company may sometime lock the phone so its good only in their network, sometimes your own phone company will have a international roaming, call them before you go. You may visit http://www.telestial.com to buy a SIM card of the country before you visit which is a cheaper option. Mostly you can buy a basic phone and sim card within $100-$150.

Tip 15#. Voltage converters: Most countries have either 110V~60Hz or 220V~50Hz voltages with variable sockets. If you have international voltage converter all your domestic appliances that you want to charge like camera, hair drier etc.. can be used. Example go to Amazon.com search for International Adapter Kit. You will find these for about $25 or so.

Tip 16#. If you are carrying your laptop computer and it has information which you do not want to lose, its a good idea to backup your hard drive before you travel. Additionally remove files containing your personal identity and financial information in case you lose your computer.

Tip 17#. Bargain - Ask for a discount, can't hurt. Its not unusual for shops to charge a higher amount from tourists. Often tour guides and operators get a commission on purchases from the clients. Bargain can vary anywhere from 5 percent to 50 percent, or even more.

Tip 18#. If your current suitcase or bag is old, buy new luggage. Buy a strong one. Last thing you want is the handle to break off or the suitcase to break and your belongings falling all over the place.

Tip 19#. Don't leave home without a copy of your important medical records. Things you may be allergic to. Small things like the power of your eye glasses can be very helpful when you need them most, in fact carry an additional set of eye glasses.

Tip 20#. Keep away from trouble. Do not get angry at locals, you never know how they will react. Try not to crack sensitive jokes. Hugging or kissing in some cultures may be unacceptable. Have a safe journey.

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